A disturbing incident at a Milwaukee Public Schools high school is raising new concerns about student safety, school security, and staffing shortages.
According to Milwaukee County prosecutors, 23-year-old Amy Jones, a former student of Rufus King International High School, is facing six felony charges after allegedly posing as a substitute teacher and gaining access to a classroom on September 24.
Prosecutors say Jones entered the building, identified herself as a substitute teacher, and was assigned a classroom for the first three periods of the school day. What followed alarmed students and school officials.
Students reported that Jones used profane language, racial slurs, and sexually derogatory comments while teaching. According to police reports, she allegedly organized students by race and gender and made inappropriate remarks to several students.
One 16-year-old student told police that Jones called a classmate “fat boy,” asked a female student if she wanted to become a stripper or a hooker, and told two white students that they were the type of people who would start school shootings. Other students reported being questioned about their sexual orientation and whether they were virgins.
At least one student recorded Jones’ behavior and provided the video to police.
The incident also highlights the ongoing staffing challenges facing MPS. Principal Doreen Badillo reportedly told investigators that eight teachers had called in sick that day, but only seven substitute positions had been filled. She said Jones appeared to have “got lucky” because an unfilled position was available.
School officials learned of the situation during third period, and Milwaukee police escorted Jones from the building.
While the alleged behavior is deeply troubling, the larger concern may be how someone could walk into a school, claim to be a substitute teacher, and access students without proper verification.
Parents entrust schools with their children’s safety every day. This incident raises important questions about how schools verify substitute teachers, how staffing shortages may create vulnerabilities, and what safeguards should prevent unauthorized individuals from entering classrooms.
As the criminal case moves forward, many Milwaukee families will be looking for answers about how this happened and what steps will be taken to ensure it never happens again.
